NYC Thanksgiving Parade: Where and Where not to Watch

One of the biggest events of the year is finally approaching! New York City’s annual Thanksgiving Parade. For those of you who have never been or are looking for a new place to set up and watch, here are the top spots around the city that will give you the best view as well as places you might want to avoid. The parade takes place from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM on Thanksgiving Day.

72nd Street/Central Park West and 61st Street

 Here you will be close to central park and have the most perfect view of the parade’s beginning. Central park west will allow you to have a more spacious viewing point and you can set up chairs if you get to the event early.

34th Street and 38th Street on 6th Avenue, and 34th Street between Broadway and 7th Avenue.

These areas you should avoid all together because they will be closed for broadcasting crews to show the parade.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade official viewing area on 34th Street

Depending on how you want your experience at the parade to be, you can either choose this destination or completely avoid it. The official viewing area is found on 34th street is the most congested viewing area at the parade. You can camp out a day in advance to try and score a good view or you can avoid the huge crowd and choose a different location such as the corner of Bryant Park.

Wherever you choose to enjoy the parade, make sure to stay warm, be safe, and have fun!

Unique Wines & Spirits To Get This Holiday Season

The holidays are the perfect excuse to break out that top bottle of whiskey or rare stout. And giving one as a gift never fails. Here, we picked the whiskey, beer, tequila, and more we'd want to give to others over the holidays that we'll try not to just keep for our own home bar.

BERTOUX Brandy

A Solera-style blend of pot-distilled California fine brandies aged 3 to 7 years in French and American oak, BERTOUX Brandy shines in classic cocktails and modern creations

BERTOUX Brandy was designed for mixology by a first-of-its-kind collaboration between top bartender Jeff Bell (PDT and Legacy Records) and acclaimed sommelier Thomas Pastuszak (The NoMad), who serve as Consulting Master Blenders

Rémy Martin XO limited-edition bottle designed by celebrated French Atelier, Steaven Richard

A globally celebrated French metalsmith and artist who has worked with major figures in contemporary art and architecture, such as Jacques Garcia, Pierre Yovanovitch, Karl Lagerfeld and Jean Nouvel. Rémy Martin’s desire was to combine the world of cognac with the world of an extraordinary artist. During the collaboration process, Steaven Richard immersed himself in the story behind Rémy Martin and found inspiration from the vineyards in Cognac to create the refined design.

Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut 150th Anniversary Limited Edition Bottle & Gift Box

Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut was first created in 1869, named Impérial in honor of Napoleon, a close friend of the Champagne House’s Moët family. A gift that exudes history and elegance, this limited-edition bottle or gift box will resonate with loved ones this holiday season. As the premiere champagne of excellence, the “I” emblazoned at the center adds a touch of inspiration as the year closes out. A graceful golden straw yellow in color, this wine has a lively palate combined with finesse with bright fruity aromas of apple, pear, white peach and citrus and notes of floral nuances.

The Macallan Edition No. 5 (SRP: $120)

The Macallan Edition No. 5 celebrates The Macallan’s extensive natural colour spectrum and the intricate whisky making process, in partnership with masters at the Pantone Color Institute™ to create a unique shade of purple that features on the packaging.

Inniskillin 2017 Vidal Icewine

Made from the premier Icewine grape in Ontario, this wine is known for its rich flavors and fruit filled aromas, notably ripe peach and lively citrus. A perfectly balanced acidity, results in a wine of the highest quality, with a long fruit filled finish.

Inniskillin 2017 Cabernet Franc Icewine

 (SRP $84.99/375 ml; available nationwide). A luscious (and rare) red Icewine, this Cabernet Franc bursts with flavors of strawberry and cherry with hints of fresh cream. This sweet indulgence is the perfect gift for the wine aficionado in your life.

Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Has notes of berry, peppercorn, and olive which fill the palate and lead to a long, lingering finish. The rugged mountain conditions on Napa Valley’s Mount Veeder produce grapes with concentrated dark fruit notes and a supple mouthfeel.

Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

(SRP $69.99; available nationwide). This character-driven cabernet is crafted by Thomas Rivers Brown, the winemaker behind cult-status winery Schrader Cellars. A full-bodied red with a bold fruit flavor and fine-grained tannins, this vintage opens with black and blue fruits balanced by a light oak spice, that is mirrored on the nose. It’s captivating fruit flavors pair easily with grilled steak or barbequed ribs.

Ten To One

o The white rum is a versatile, mixological game-changer, thanks to its higher proof and pronounced ester content. It blends Dominican column still rum with high-ester Jamaican pot still rum

o The dark rum expression is suitable for sipping or mixing. It is a masterful blend of column still Dominican, Trinidadian and Barbadian rums combined with high-ester Jamaican pot still rum

• Brainchild of Marc Farrell, born and bred in Trinidad, a life-long rum aficionado and formerly Starbucks’ youngest VP

PATRÓN Extra Añejo 10 Años

A remarkably rare, limited-edition offering that was aged for 10 years. Aged in a blend of American oak and hybrid American and Limousin barrels, it’s Patrón’s oldest release in the brand’s history. $349 for a 750ml bottle

D'USSÉ XO

The second cognac expression from the D'USSÉ portfolio, D'USSÉ XO (SRP $230) is an exquisite ultra-premium blend championing the category. Born from the prestigious Château de Cognac, D'USSÉ XO incorporates over 200 years of tradition with the inspiration of a passionate Cellar Master, Michel Casavecchia. The hand-selected eaux-de-vie used in D’USSÉ XO are aged a minimum of 10 years in French oak casks and the result is an uncompromising cognac that delivers complex flavor and culminates in an exceptionally balanced finish. D'USSÉ XO starts with a fruity bouquet on the nose, bringing notes of hazelnuts, nutmeg, apricot, orange, wood, and subtle warm spice on the palate. A statement wherever it rests, the exceptional bottle design – inspired by the liquid it contains – is both class and modern bearing the Cross of Lorraine: a symbol of honor, courage, and perseverance. The bottle is available at Totalwine.com and additional local retailers nationwide.

The Racing Series Gift Pack

This luxury set showcases Adobe Road’s newest line of four ultra-premium California wines paying homage to founder Kevin Buckler’s history on the track, as race-car driver and CEO of the winningest privateer racing team in North America, The Racer’s Group.

The winning team of highly-rated wines is named for an element of the sport, and the blends are as exciting to taste as the sport they honor. Available in gift set and individually on TheRacingSeries.com, The Racing Series includes: Apex, Redline, Shift & The 24.

Shochu - iichiko Saiten

iichiko, Japan’s leading barley shochu brand, today unveils iichiko Saiten, a pioneering, higher-proof shochu that is optimized for mixology and targets bartenders at the vanguard of the U.S. craft cocktail scene. Produced on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island and the cradle of shochu, iichiko Saiten (pronounced SIGH-ten, meaning “colorful sky”) is the first-ever shochu developed with insights from top U.S. bartenders with exceptional palates and deep cocktail knowledge. A unique clear spirit, iichiko Saiten is rich in flavor and umami character, resulting in genuinely innovative cocktails.

Espolòn Añejo X

Añejo X is secretly laid to rest for six long years. The extra aging creates a tequila of rich, complex flavors and uncommon character. Beautifully rich and subtly smoky. The taste is prominent in vanilla with notes of nutmeg and white peppercorn joined by hints of cocoa nibs, bitter chocolate, rich roasted fruits. A rich mouthfeel lingers traces of dark chocolate, cheery, tobacco and honey. This is the one you’ll stash and bring out to enjoy straight on special occasions.

Bonterra Merlot

For the 2017 Merlot, the lots were fermented separately and underwent full malolactic fermentation before being combined to create the final blend. Additional complexity comes from the small additions of Petite Sirah and Malbec. The wine was aged for twelve months using a combination of French and American oak of which 45% was new.

The resulting wine has aromas of black currant, black cherries and a touch of wood smoke with flavors of plums, dark berries, toasty oak and vanilla spice. In the mouth, this wine has an elegant and restrained style with nice structure and balance, soft tannins and a long finish.

Anchor Brewing Company’s 45th Annual Christmas Ale

Released yearly on November 1 since 1975, Anchor Christmas Ale (6.9% ABV) is a smooth and velvety spiced ale with rich flavors of roasted malts, toffee and Mexican chocolate. This was one of the very first holiday beers produced in America, and the tradition carries on with an ever-changing, secret recipe wrapped in a different label each year. This winter warmer is available in most major retailers nationwide.

Have a listing you think should be featured contact us or email at Jeremy@offthemrkt.com to tell us more! Follow Off The MRKT on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Labor Day Specials Not To Miss In NYC

The last unofficial weekend of Summer has lots to do as we enter Labor Day. Perhaps it’s your last chance going to The Hamptons, a trip to the US Open. or just getting ready for Fashion Week, leaves the weekend full of excitement. If you happen to be stuck in the city and looking for somewhere to eat, look no further as we gathered 5 of the best specials to try out this weekend. Try one, or try them all!

photo credit Jenna Murray/IGC Hospitality)

The Wilson - 132 W 27th Street

Labor Day Weekend is your last chance to indulge in The Wilson’s Summer Staycation menu. Available Saturday and Sunday, the Staycation Menu includes summer specials like the Surf & Turf ($44), Lobster Roll ($23) or the Lobster Boil ($35). Wash it down with a $35 Bucket of Beers or $50 Carafe of Rosé. Need a Monday morning brunch to cure the weekend’s hangover?

The Wilson will be running the weekend brunch menu into Monday from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. Reservations can be made by emailing reservations@igchospitality.com.

Mondrian Terrace - 444 Park Avenue South

Rosé Terrace is celebrating Labor Day with Bottomless Rosé all weekend long. Yes Way Rosé! Enjoy a live DJ while sipping unlimited Rosé. Soak up the last of the summer sun on the terrace. The event will run all weekend Friday-Monday. There are two, two-hour sessions on Friday and Saturday; Sunday and Monday each have one, two-hour session. Tickets include bottomless still and sparkling rosé, Live DJ, and an exclusive taste of "la vie en rose" for just $59.

Additional details and tickets can be found here.

Parker & Quinn: - 64 W 39th Street

Labor Day Weekend is better known as “Lobster Day Weekend” at Parker & Quinn.Celebrate the long weekend with a quintessential Lobster Boil ($35) that includes a whole Lobster, corn, heirloom petite potatoes, chorizo and can of Montauk Beer.

This special will run all weekend from Friday-Monday, so come by once, twice, or every day! Reservations can be made by emailing reservations@igchospitality.com.

Boulton & Watt -5 Avenue A

In celebration of the long weekend, Boulton & Watt is adding an extra day to their signature brunch service. Swing by the Lower East Side watering hole on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday to indulge in outdoor seating, $7 brunch cocktails, and that perfect blend of breakfast and lunch.

Doors open Saturday and Sunday at 10am, Monday at noon. For reservations call 646-490-6004

Refinery Rooftop 63 W 38th Street

The best part of a three-day weekend is that rare Sunday party. Refinery Rooftop is pairing al fresco day drinking with a live DJ from 3 p.m- 8 p.m on Sunday. To help ease that Monday hangover, Refinery Rooftop will open at noon, serving light bites, brunch, and more DJ beats.

Reservations can be made by emailing reservations@igchospitality.com.

Have a listing you think should be featured contact us or email at Jeremy@offthemrkt.com to tell us more! Follow Off The MRKT on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.